Quick-release bottle hanger

ABSTRACT

A bottle hanger mounts to a bottle to which a bottle cap that may be removed by a user is attached. The bottle hanger includes a cap cover component that is configured to removably mount over the bottle cap and onto one or more of the bottle and the bottle cap. The bottle hanger includes a securement by which the cap cover component is securely but removably attached to one or more of the bottle and the bottle cap. The bottle hanger also includes a hanging feature disposed on the cap cover component that is sized and shaped to engage with a display device for enabling the bottle hanger and bottle to be supported by and suspended from the display device.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/478,309, filed on Mar. 29, 2017 and entitled QUICK-RELEASE BOTTLE HANGER, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates generally to point-of-sale packaging material for a bottle, and more particularly, to an easily removable bottle hanger.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Effective merchandising is one of the easiest ways to increase sales in a retail store. When merchandise is displayed to generate impulse purchases, customers may be prompted to buy items they may not have intended to buy when they entered the store. Locating merchandise near the front of the store and/or near checkout stations will encourage last minute and impulse purchases. Spinner racks and peg hooks are often employed to display candy, chips and other common impulse items that are packaged in bags, or batteries and lip balm that are packaged in blister packs. However, rinses, mouthwashes, shampoos, analgesic drugs, vitamins and other personal care items are frequently sold in bottles. These types of products are difficult to place at the point of purchase, where shelf space is often at a premium. Furthermore, it is expensive to package these items in blister packs or clamshells in order to display them at the point of purchase. It is much easier to arrange these products on a shelf in the interior of the store.

It would be advantageous if a packaging item could be developed that would permit personal care products sold in bottles to be displayed at the point of purchase. It would also be desirable if such a packaging item could be developed that would be inexpensive to manufacture, easy for the product packager to attach to a bottle, and easy for a consumer to remove from the bottle. It would also be desirable if such a packaging item could be light in weight and configured so as not to obscure any labeling on the bottle.

ADVANTAGES OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

Among the advantages of the invention is that it provides a bottle hanger for personal care products sold in bottles that permits such products to be displayed on a peg hook or other display device at the point of purchase. Other advantages of the invention are that it provides such a bottle hanger that is inexpensive to manufacture, easy for the product packager to attach to a bottle, and easy for a consumer to remove from the bottle. Still other advantages of the invention are that it provides such a bottle hanger that is light in weight and configured so as not to obscure any labeling on the bottle. Yet another advantage of a preferred embodiment of the invention is that it provides a point-of-purchase bottle hanger that can itself display a trademark or other indicia associated with the product.

Still other advantages and features of this invention will become apparent from an examination of the following drawings and the ensuing description.

NOTES ON CONSTRUCTION

The use of the terms “a”, “an”, “the” and similar terms in the context of describing the invention are to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. The terms “comprising”, “having”, “including” and “containing” are to be construed as open-ended terms (i.e., meaning “including, but not limited to,”) unless otherwise noted. The terms “substantially”, “generally” and other words of degree are relative modifiers intended to indicate permissible variation from the characteristic so modified. The use of such terms in describing a physical or functional characteristic of the invention is not intended to limit such characteristic to the absolute value which the term modifies, but rather to provide an approximation of the value of such physical or functional characteristic.

Terms concerning attachments, coupling and the like, such as “attached”, “connected” and “interconnected”, refer to a relationship wherein structures are secured or attached to one another either directly or indirectly through intervening structures, as well as both moveable and rigid attachments or relationships, unless specified herein or clearly indicated by context. The term “operatively connected” is such an attachment, coupling or connection that allows the pertinent structures to operate as intended by virtue of that relationship.

The use of any and all examples or exemplary language (e.g., “such as” and “preferably”) herein is intended merely to better illuminate the invention and the preferred embodiments thereof, and not to place a limitation on the scope of the invention. Nothing in the specification should be construed as indicating any element as essential to the practice of the invention unless so stated with specificity.

As used herein, the term “bottle” refers to a container that is equipped with a cap that may be removed by a user, which cap has a lower portion that: (a) extends outwardly of the portion of the bottle to which it is attached, or (b) abuts an annular ridge of the bottle that extends outwardly of the bottle neck.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention comprises a bottle hanger for mounting to a bottle that is equipped with a cap that may be removed by a user. Such a bottle cap may be threaded onto the bottle, crimped to the bottle as a crown cap, or snap fit onto the bottle.

The bottle hanger includes a cap cover component having an open bottom. The cap cover component is sized and shaped for placement over and to substantially cover the bottle cap. Preferably, the cap cover component includes a peripheral wall having an open bottom such that a capped bottle may be inserted into the cap cover component via the bottom opening. In some embodiments, at least one additional opening is disposed in the peripheral wall of the cap cover component such that a portion of the bottle cap may be seen through the at least one additional opening when the cap cover component is placed over the bottle cap. In certain embodiments, the peripheral wall is substantially cylindrical in shape.

The bottle hanger also includes a securement by which the cap cover component is securely but removably attached to the bottle and/or to the bottle cap on the bottle. In some embodiments, the securement is removably mounted on the bottom of the cap cover component. In these embodiments, the securement may be separated from the cap cover component by a user to facilitate the removal of the cap cover component from the bottle cap. In some embodiments, the securement is a tear strip that is removably connected to the bottom of the cap cover component, and removing the tear strip permits the cap cover component to be removed from the bottle cap. In certain cases, a plurality of connectors is used to removably connect the bottom of the cap cover component to the tear strip. The plurality of connectors is configured to separate from the cap cover component when the tear strip is pulled. In certain preferred embodiments, a pull tab is located on an end of the tear strip and is configured to separate the tear strip from the cap cover component when pulled. In some cases, a plurality of ridges is disposed on and extends inwardly from an inner surface of the tear strip. The ridges mount to a portion of the bottle below the bottle cap or to the bottom of the bottle cap itself to secure the bottle hanger over the bottle cap and/or on the capped bottle. In certain embodiments, placing the bottle hanger over the bottle cap and then pushing the bottle hanger towards the bottle causes the plurality of ridges to automatically mount to the portion of the bottle below the bottle cap or the bottom of the bottle cap itself to secure the bottle hanger over the capped bottle.

The bottle hanger further includes a hanging feature that is located on the cap cover component. The hanging feature engages with a display device to enable the bottle hanger and bottle to be supported by and suspended from the display device when the cap cover component is placed over the bottle cap of the bottle. In certain embodiments, the hanging feature is a hanger tab extending upwardly from a top surface of the cap cover component. The hanger tab may include a hole that is adapted to receive a portion of the display device for supporting the bottle hanger from the display device.

In order to facilitate an understanding of the invention, a preferred embodiment of the invention, as well as the best mode known by the inventor for carrying out the invention, is illustrated in the drawings, and a detailed description thereof follows. It is not intended, however, that the invention be limited to the particular embodiment described or to use in connection with the apparatus illustrated herein. Therefore, the scope of the invention contemplated by the inventor includes all equivalents of the subject matter recited herein, as well as various modifications and alternative embodiments such as would ordinarily occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates. The inventor expects skilled artisans to employ such variations as seem to them appropriate, including the practice of the invention otherwise than as specifically described herein. In addition, any combination of the elements and components of the invention described herein in any possible variation is encompassed by the invention, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly excluded by context.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The presently preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals represent like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a bottom perspective view depicting a quick-release bottle hanger according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a top perspective view depicting the bottle hanger illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the bottle hanger illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 4 is a top view of the bottle hanger illustrated in FIGS. 1-3.

FIG. 5 is a front view of the bottle hanger illustrated in FIGS. 1-4.

FIG. 6 is a left-side view of the bottle hanger illustrated in FIGS. 1-5.

FIG. 7A is a right-side view of the bottle hanger illustrated in FIGS. 1-6.

FIG. 7B is a sectional view of the bottle hanger shown in FIG. 7A, taken along line B-B of FIG. 7A.

FIG. 8 is a front view of the bottle hanger illustrated in FIGS. 1-7B, showing how the invention is attached over the cap of a bottle.

FIG. 9 is a front view of the bottle hanger illustrated in FIGS. 1-8, showing the bottle hanger attached over the cap of a bottle.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a plurality of bottles, each of which is provided with the preferred embodiment of the invention, showing the bottles displayed on a peg hook.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

This description of the preferred embodiments of the invention is intended to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings, which are to be considered part of the entire written description of this invention. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, and certain features of the invention may be shown exaggerated in scale or in somewhat schematic form in the interest of clarity and conciseness.

Referring now to the drawings, a bottle hanger 20 comprises cap cover component 22 having a peripheral wall with an opening formed at its bottom end so that the bottle hanger may be installed over a capped bottle, or so that a capped bottle may be inserted into the cap cover component via the opening formed at its bottom end. The cap cover component is preferably sized to substantially cover the entire bottle cap. The cap cover component 22 of bottle hanger 20 is generally cylindrical so as to generally cover and conform to bottle cap 36 on bottle 38 (shown in FIGS. 8-10). However, the cap cover component could have a square cross-section, a hexagonal cross-section, an elliptical cross-section or other cross-section that is adapted to cover the cap on a capped bottle. In addition, cap cover component 22 has openings 40 on its front and back sides. These openings reduce the amount of material in the bottle hanger and allow a portion of bottle cap 38 to be viewed when the bottle hanger is installed over the capped bottle.

Bottle hanger 20 includes a securement that is configured to securely but removably attach the cap cover component over the cap of a capped bottle. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, the securement comprises tear strip 24 that is mounted to the bottom end of the peripheral wall of the cap cover component 22. After the cap cover component has been placed onto the cap of a capped bottle, the tear strip 24 may be separated from the cap cover component 22 to facilitate the removal of the cap cover component from a capped bottle. In other embodiments of the invention, the securement may comprise a cap cover component 22 that is configured to create a friction fit with at least a portion of the cap of a capped bottle.

In the preferred embodiment, tear strip 24 is removably attached to the bottom of the cap cover component 22 by a plurality of connectors 26. The plurality of connectors 26 may be easily broken when the tear strip is pulled. Once the connectors 26 are broken, the cap cover component 22 is separated from the tear strip and may be removed from the bottle cap of a capped bottle easily. To facilitate the removal of the tear strip, a pull tab 46 may be located at an end of the tear strip. When pulled, the pull tab is configured to break the connectors 26 for separating the tear strip from the cap cover component and to free the cap cover component from the bottle cap and/or the capped bottle. In preferred embodiments, the tear strip is sized wide enough to contain a trademark or other product indicia embossed thereon. While the breakable connectors described above are the preferred method for securing the tear strip to the cap cover component, the securement may be removably mounted to the cap cover component 22 using alternative devices such as adhesives, other mechanical fasteners, and the like.

The tear strip 24 has a plurality of ridges 42 located on its inner surface (best shown in FIG. 7B). These ridges 42 extend inwardly from an inner surface of the tear strip 24 and are configured to fit over and mount to a portion of the bottle below the bottle cap or the bottom of the bottle cap itself in order to secure the bottle hanger over the bottle cap and onto the capped bottle. In the embodiment of bottle 38 shown in FIGS. 8-10, an annular ridge 44 is provided on the neck 45 of the bottle below bottle cap 36. The plurality of ridges 42 mount to or over the annular ridge 44 to secure bottle hanger 20 over bottle cap 36 on bottle 38. In particular, when the cap cover component 22 is placed over the bottle cap 36 and then pushed towards the bottle 38, the ridges 42 are configured to move over and to automatically mount to the annular ridge 44 in order to easily and quickly secure the bottle hanger to the bottle.

The invention is suitable for use on bottles (such as bottle 38) having an annular ridge 44 on the bottle neck 45 that extends radially outwardly from the bottle neck, which ridge is adapted to abut the bottom of the bottle cap, as described above and shown in FIGS. 8-10. However, the bottle hanger 20 is also suitable for use on bottles that do not have such an annular ridge, so long as such bottles have caps that extend outwardly of the portion of the bottle to which the cap is attached. Thus, on other bottles, ridges 42 may mount to or over the lower portion of the bottle cap to secure bottle hanger 20 to and over the bottle cap of a capped bottle.

After the cap cover component has been secured to the bottle, the bottle hanger may then be used to hang the bottle in or on a selected display device by means of a hanging feature located on the cap cover component. In the preferred embodiment shown in the drawings, the hanging feature is a hanger tab 28 that extends upwardly from top surface 30 of cap cover component 22. The hanger tab 28 includes a hole 32 that is adapted to receive peg hook 34 (shown in FIGS. 9 and 10) or other similar display device. While a hanger tab 28 is the preferred method for securing the bottle hanger, other hanging methods may also be used. For example, a packaging J-hook, carabiner, or other similar device may be located on the cap cover component 22 and used for mounting the bottle hanger to the display device.

The preferred embodiment of the invention thus provides a packaging item for personal care products sold in bottles in the form of a bottle hanger that permits bottled products to be displayed on a peg hook or other display device at the point of purchase. This bottle hanger may be made from inexpensive plastic with the connectors sized and configured so that the tear strip may be easily removed to allow a consumer to remove the bottle hanger from the bottled product. The bottle hanger is also easily attached to a bottle, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. The bottle hanger is light in weight and configured so as not to obscure any labeling on the bottle. Furthermore, the tear strip of the preferred embodiment is sized to display a trademark or other product indicia.

Although this description contains many specifics, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but as merely providing illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodiments thereof, as well as the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out the invention. The invention, as described herein, is susceptible to various modifications and adaptations as would be appreciated by those having ordinary skill in the art to which the invention relates. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A bottle hanger for mounting to a bottle to which a bottle cap that may be removed by a user is attached, the bottle hanger comprising: a cap cover component configured to removably mount over the bottle cap and onto one or more of the bottle and the bottle cap; and a securement by which the cap cover component is securely but removably attached to one or more of the bottle and the bottle cap; and a hanging feature disposed on the cap cover component that is sized and shaped to engage with a display device for enabling the bottle hanger and bottle to be supported by and suspended from the display device.
 2. The bottle hanger of claim 1 wherein the cap cover component comprises a peripheral wall having a bottom opening such that the bottle with its cap attached may be inserted into the cap cover component.
 3. The bottle hanger of claim 2 further comprising a plurality of ridges disposed proximate the bottom opening and extending inwardly from an inner surface of the peripheral wall, the plurality of ridges configured to automatically mount to one or more of the bottle and the bottle cap when the cap cover component is positioned onto the bottle cap and pushed towards the bottle.
 4. The bottle hanger of claim 2 wherein the cap cover component further comprises at least one opening disposed in the peripheral wall such that a portion of the bottle cap may be seen through the at least one opening when the bottle with its cap attached is inserted into the cap cover component.
 5. The bottle hanger of claim 1 wherein the securement is removably mounted to the cap cover component, and is further configured for separation from the cap cover component to facilitate removal of the bottle hanger from the bottle with its cap attached.
 6. The bottle hanger of claim 5 wherein the securement automatically mounts to one or more of the bottle and the bottle cap when the cap cover component is positioned onto the bottle cap and pushed towards the bottle.
 7. The bottle hanger of claim 5 wherein the securement is a tear strip connected to the bottom of the cap cover component and is configured to separate from the cap cover component when the tear strip is pulled.
 8. The bottle hanger of claim 1 wherein the hanging feature is a hanger tab extending upwardly from a top surface of the cap cover component.
 9. The bottle hanger of claim 8 wherein the hanger tab has a hole that is adapted to receive a portion of the display device for supporting the bottle hanger from the display device.
 10. A bottle and bottle hanger combination comprising: a bottle having an opening; a bottle cap that is configured to removably mount over the opening of the bottle, which bottle cap may be removed by a user; a cap cover component that is configured to cover the bottle cap on the bottle; a securement by which the cap cover component is securely but removably attached to one or more of the bottle and the bottle cap; and a hanging feature disposed on the cap cover component that is sized and shaped to engage with a display device for enabling the bottle hanger and bottle to be supported by and suspended from the display device.
 11. The combination of claim 10 wherein the display device is a J-hook and wherein the hanging feature is a hanger tab extending upwardly from a top surface of the cap cover component having a hole that is adapted to receive a portion of the J-hook for supporting the bottle hanger and the bottle.
 12. The combination of claim 10 wherein the cap cover component comprises a peripheral wall having a bottom opening such that the bottle cap may be inserted into the cap cover component via the bottom opening.
 13. The combination of claim 12 further comprising a plurality of ridges disposed proximate the bottom opening and extending inwardly from an inner surface of the peripheral wall, the plurality of ridges configured to automatically mount to one or more of the bottle and the bottle cap when the cap cover component is positioned onto the bottle cap and pushed towards the bottle.
 14. The combination of claim 12 wherein the cap cover component further comprises at least one opening disposed in the peripheral wall such that a portion of the bottle cap may be seen through the at least one opening when the bottle with its attached cap is inserted into the cap cover component.
 15. The combination of claim 10 wherein the securement is further configured for separation from the cap cover component to facilitate removal of the bottle hanger from the bottle with its attached cap.
 16. The combination of claim 15 wherein the securement automatically mounts to one or more of the bottle and the bottle cap when the cap cover component is positioned onto the bottle cap and pushed towards the bottle.
 17. The combination of claim 15 wherein the securement is a tear strip connected to the bottom of the cap cover component and is configured to separate from the cap cover component when the tear strip is pulled.
 18. The combination of claim 15 wherein an annular ridge extends outwardly from the bottle proximate the bottle cap and wherein the cap cover component is removably secured to the bottle cap by engaging the securement with the annular ridge.
 19. The combination of claim 18 wherein placing the bottle hanger over the bottle cap and then pushing the bottle hanger towards the bottle causes the securement to automatically mount to the bottle adjacent to the annular ridge.
 20. A method for displaying a bottle having a removable bottle cap comprising the steps of: A. providing a display device; B. providing a bottle having an opening and a bottle cap that is removably mounted over the opening; C. providing a bottle hanger having: a cap cover component; a securement disposed on a bottom of the cap cover component; and a hanging feature disposed on the cap cover component. D. placing the bottle hanger over the bottle cap so that the cap cover component substantially covers the bottle cap; E. pushing the bottle hanger towards the bottle until the securement mounts to one or more of the bottle and the bottle cap; and F. hanging the bottle by engaging the hanging feature with the display device. 